Whistl magazine Summer 2016
Choice at the checkout wins customers
Interviewwith ChristineKey of Whistl Packets & Parcels
whistl hqmoves driving sales for retailers
in-home sampling REGULATORY UPDATE
whistl HQmoves
Wells Said
There’s nothing like an officemove to reinvigorate the workforce! Walking round the office here in Marlow this morning I felt a real sense of community, productivity and energy. It showedme how effective a refresh can be and the importance of creating vibrant, collaborative spaces to work in. After all happy employees make happy customers! Of course collaboration is at the heart of everything we do here at Whistl. Our recent partnership with Jersey Post demonstrates how productive a close working partnership can be and I’mdelighted to say that we’ve facilitated a new economy service that Jersey Post customers can now benefit from. We’re also seeing great success in Northern Ireland where we’re doubling the capacity of our current operations tomeet demand from the public and private sectors. It’s great news for the Belfast community where we’ll be creating many new jobs. Needless to say investment in our infrastructure is ongoing and critical to the efficiency of our operation. I’mpleased to say we’ve recently taken delivery of 100 brand new Renault trucks to replace part of our current fleet which will be stationed at various Whistl sorting depots across the country. One thing’s certain, we’re not a company that stands still! Where others zag, we zig, constantly innovating, constantly investing, constantly improving our service offering for you.
We’re pleased to tell you that theWhistl teambased at our head office in Marlow has relocated to stylish newpremises at a neighbouring site on Globeside Business Park. We didn’t have far to go! Our brand new head office based at Meridian House is located next door to our previous TNT Post headquarters of ten years. Set on three floors, our funky new offices offer better facilities and have been designed to encourage greater collaboration between staff with flexible desking, meeting pods and social areas for staff to enjoy. Nick Wells Whistl CEO said: “The new office creates an inspiring, vibrant space for us all to work in, and that was our main aim. It reflects Whistl’s positive energy and dynamic culture with engaging areas for our people tomeet, collaborate and share ideas. Plus we’ll be saving a significant amount of money so it’s a win-win all round!” Our new address is Whistl UK Ltd, Meridian House, Fieldhouse Lane, Marlow, Buckinghamshire SL7 1TB. Pop in for a coffee, we’d love to show you around!
NickWells Chief Executive Whistl
2
Whistl Magazine • Summer 2016
NEWS
The importance of physical direct mail
56%
of donors think print is the most trustworthy of all communication channels
61%
Charities enjoy higher response fromdirect mail An astonishing 79% of donations for charities come fromdirect mail. In fact the ROI for charity fundraising is staggering - for every £1 spent, £4 in donations are received, according to the Institute of Fundraising’s The Good Fundraising Guide. With 45% of the UK voluntary sector’s total income (£11.8 billion) coming fromdonations, it’s important that charity fundraising efforts continue to rely on themost trusted formof communication – physical direct mail.
of charity advertising budgets are spent on direct mail
79%
of gifts tocharities come fromdirect mail (Source Blackbaud)
72%
of donors like to receive something in the post to honour their support
howpeople respond todirect mail
online donations in response to receivingdirect mail
25%
50% 50% 26% 14% 34% 44%
Millenials (Age 21-35)
Gen X (Age 36-50)
boomers (Age 51-65)
greatest (Age 66+)
keep printed material
search for a brand online
go straight tothebrand’s website
Source: Why direct mail still matters DMA and fast map consumer research
3
Whistl Magazine • Summer 2016
Packets & Parcels strengthens team
We’re delighted to welcome Steve Vass to our Packets & Parcels management teamas our new Development Director. Steve will continue the development of our carrier management interface and build on our existing relationships with delivery companies to offer new customers themost appropriate solution for their delivery needs.
Steve has worked in the carrier industry for over 20 years, more recently spending six years with MetaPack. He was also Product Development Director at Yodel. Steve said: “This is a great opportunity to work withWhistl to develop its new Packets & Parcels one-platformmulti-carrier solution. For the first time it gives small andmedium sized e-retailers access to the best carrier for the best price without the stress of handling multi-relationships.”
Whistl partners with iForce
Whistlwins MBO Deal of the Year
It was a successful night for us at the annual Thames Valley Deal Awards where we were awarded Deal of the Year in the over £25million transaction category for the 2015management buyout of Whistl fromDutch parent company PostNL Henley-based HMT LLP Partner Ian Barton advisedWhistl during the transaction that completed in October last year. Under the new ownership structureWhistl management have taken an 82.5% shareholding in the business with PostNL retaining a significant minority shareholding. Business Magazine’s Thames Valley Deals Awards are the biggest deals events in the South of England, attracting entries from banks and private equity houses, business advisers, lawyers and other intermediaries.
e-retailers’ customers informed on status with branded communications that are triggered throughout the delivery process. We currently handle over 60million ecommerce items providing tracked and untracked services, support for label printing, manifesting and customer notification. Christine Key, Managing Director of Whistl’s Packets & Parcels division said: “The iForce IRS software has enabled us to provide a single, multi-carrier management tool suitable for both large and small retailers who want a seamless cost-effective way to enhance their delivery activity and ultimately improve the end consumer experience.”
To help us continue to improve our multi-carrier, single-supplier solution we’re pleased to say that we have partnered with iForce, the UK’s fastest growing supply chain business, to develop an Intelligent Routing System (IRS) for our Packets & Parcels service. The bespoke carriage software integrates with all our UK and international delivery partners so that we can process, manage and track deliveries more efficiently – a seamless multi-carrier management solution that can be accessed through one single provider. It enables us to pick upmail, large letters, packet and parcels in one convenient collection plus keep
4 Whistl Magazine • Summer 2016
CUSTOMER FOCUS news
driving sales for retailers
A recent study by Royal Mail revealed that e-retailers are already taking action to boost customer satisfaction and drive sales. Here’s what the study found.
Good returns deliver customer satisfaction and drive sales
Smartphone shopping & price promotions are new factors in online competition
Online marketplaces seen as key to increasing sales
On-time delivery drives customer satisfaction
63% 49%
47%
7 in
10
increase inon-the-move smartphone shopping
online retailers plan to increase the number of channels they sell through
believe a good returns process will make consumers more likely to be more satisfiedwith their service
believe their customers have become more satisfied in the last year
44%
85%
66% 45%
believe price promotions lead shoppers to seek out the best prices
are planning to list on additional online marketplaces
say on-time delivery is the most common factor in drivingcustomer satisfaction. That’s more than the number of SME e-retailerswho consider the quality and price of their products as key drivers of customer satisfaction.
believe it makes consumers more likely toorder in the first place
52%
40%
50%
believe price sensitivity and an increase in the number ofwebsites are the main drivers of competition
of SME online retailers intend to launch their own website
say consumers are more likely to become repeat customers
Findings fromRoyal Mail annual tracker survey
5
Whistl Magazine • Summer 2016
Packets & Parcels
Providing choice at the checkout is key for SMEs
As competition in the ecommercemarketplace intensifies, many SMEs are looking to encourage repeat business andwinmore customers. Christine Key, Whistl Director of Packets & Parcels, explains howmore choice at the checkout and reliable, on-time delivery plays a pivotal role in keeping customers coming back for more.
It alsomeans they’re better equipped to cope with surges in demand during peak selling periods. Working with an individual carrier that has a limited network capacity may not provide this level of flexibility. Here at Whistl we’re able to adopt a multi-routing approach, selecting the carrier that has the infrastructure to deliver cost-efficiency and on-time, every time performance. Reliability is key. 66% of SME e-retailers identified on-time delivery as more crucial than the quality and price of their products. For a small business without the budget, in-house expertise or staff tomanage delivery, working with amulti-carrier provider is going to be the most cost-effective, hassle-free and efficient means of giving your customers the range of reliable delivery options they need. A recent survey showed that some 66%* of consumers confirmed that they have bought goods fromone retailer in preference to another because the delivery options were more appealing with 49% saying they’d been happy to pay more for a better or more convenient delivery option. Many small e-retailers are now waking up to the fact that delivery is a major factor in the purchase decision-making process. Delivery options are important to consumers so it’s not something that small e-retailers can ignore. Get delivery right and you’ll see more satisfied customers, more sales and more customers coming back for more!
Most customers today expect to be able to choose between multiple delivery options according to the speed, cost and convenience they require. It plays a crucial role in the customer experience and is one of the main influencing factors in customer conversion. For small retailers this does not necessarily mean you have to invest in an expensive logistics infrastructure to compete with the giants. Working in partnership with a multi-carrier provider like Whistl gives you access to a host of leading national and international carriers offering a range of reliable delivery solutions. That’s good news for both you and your customers. It means you can offer more choice at the checkout, helping to increase customer satisfaction and sales conversion rates, whilst your customers can choose the delivery option that most suits them – whether it’s economy, non-urgent delivery or premium time-critical. It all comes down to convenience and allowing customers to choose their preferred way of receiving their purchases at a particular point in time. Here at Whistl we support around 2,000 SMEs with their postal and delivery requirements. Out of the 4 billion items sent through our network every year, over 142 million are sent by SME customers across a range of sectors including retail, entertainment, leisure, charities and financial, and we’re pleased to say that 86% are satisfied or very satisfied in doing business with us! Having access to flexible multi-carrier solutions through one provider has big advantages for the small companies we work with. Managing delivery certainly becomes less of a headache and frees up precious time to focus on core business activities.
For more information about Whistl’s range of national and international Packet & Parcel services, contact your account manager today or visit our website at www.whistl.co.uk
* Delivering Consumer Choice: 2015 State of ecommerce Delivery survey
6 Whistl Magazine • Summer 2016
Here at Whistl we care just as much about small businesses as big businesses. Here are some of the lovely things that some of our small-but-perfectly-formed customers had to say about us. “Pick-ups are on time and everyone is lovely and helpful”. Lisa Chauhan, Arya Samaj (Vedic Mission) “Very satisfied with your company, communication is very good and professional.” Karen Jones, Panda Motors “ We feel the systemwe have withWhistl works well for us, communication is also very good.” Steve Jones, Raisemore Delivering for small businesses
“Get delivery right and you’ll seemore satisfied customers, more sales andmore customers coming back for more!”
7
Whistl Magazine • Summer 2016
Doordrop Media
Can in-home sampling beat the in-store experience?
A staggering 50% of UK adults* say they aremore likely to buy a product if they receive a free sample first, but in a noisy marketplace where somany brands are always competing for attention, what sampling method is more effective: in-store or in-home? Mark Davies, Managing Director of Whistl’s Doordrop Media division explains why there’s no place like home for sampling.
Whether it’s in-store, at a railway station or on the high street, the experiential space is diverse, but if you want to create a morememorable brand experience that resonates with the consumer you needmore than energetic promotional staff to attract attention! After all how can a new clothing detergent randomly handed to a young student on the high street be of immediate use? When will a busy business executive be able tomicrowave the pasta pot given to themon their way to work? Has a busy, harassedmum really got time to stop and savour a new fruit-infused tea when doing the supermarket shop? The one place consumers are likely to have instant access to a washing machine, microwave or kettle is in the home. It’s the perfect environment to engage with your target audience and promote the trial of your brand. This is where in-home sampling fromWhistl proves to be more effective than other sampling methods. By providing consumers with a brand experience in the comfort and privacy of their own homes you aremore likely to trigger a response that results in a purchase in-store or online. Even full size products can be delivered, so you can reduce your production costs and extend the trial period of your product sample. Intelligent targeting techniques built around behavioural insight, known spending habits and customer intelligence all ensure only themost valuable and relevant households are selected, eliminating wastage, improving ROI andmaximising effectiveness. Having tracked results using Electronic Point of Sale software and customer loyalty
scheme data, it’s proven that in-home sampling works by encouraging repeat purchase and uplifiting long-term sales, thereby increasing market share. To find out howWhistl’s intelligent in-home sampling can deliver genuine results simply email sampling@whistl.co.uk or visit www.idoordrop.com/sampling
*TGI 2015
8 Whistl Magazine • Summer 2016
why doordrops deliver
In-home sampling campaigns delivered throughWhistl Doordrop Media have brought sensational results for big-name brands. Take a look at a couple of our sampling success stories. Sensational results from in-home sampling
Doordrops reachmore customers than almost any other broadcast media. Here are the stats to prove it!
households can be reached, making doodrop media one of the most effective broadcast channels 27 MILLION
71%
Delivering results for Kellogg’s
of consumers believe that free samples, coupons andoffers are useful for finding a product or service to suit their needs.
Helping LEGO make new friends
Kellogg’s achieved exceptional results when they targeted health- conscious households with a 2-stage in-home sampling campaign to promote their new All Bran Golden Crunch breakfast cereal. A fully branded bag was delivered to households who were asked to leave the bag on display the following day if they wanted to opt in to receive a full size box of cereal. The campaign achieved a staggering 46.8% opt-in, over and above their 30% target and the sales uplift achieved payback well ahead of schedule.
When LEGOwanted to introduce its new LEGO Friends range to girls aged 7-9 years they launched a 2-stage in-home sampling campaign to build awareness and drive footfall. High-propensity households in selected Argos retail catchment areas were invited to opt in to receive a free Emma toy by leaving a branded LEGO Friends bag outside their front door overnight. The next day, Whistl Doordrop Media delivered a LEGO Friends sample kit andmini brochure to 40,000 households that opted in. LEGO saw their sales surge by 26% and a tremendous buzz on social media amongst young girls keen to share their excitement with their friends at receiving their new LEGO toy!
48%
of consumers visited the shop advertised, requested extra information or bought a product after receiving a leaflet through their door
Door Drops: The Fiction & the Facts - DMA
9
Whistl Magazine • Summer 2016
The friendly face of finance
meet the team
Jean Bentley Accounts Payable Manager
When Accounts Payable Manager Jean isn’t totting up figures she can be found teeing off on the fairway. An avid golfer, she has an impressive handicap of eight – not bad for a busy grandma!
Making sure the numbers add up is part and parcel of the daily duties of our finance team here at Whistl, but it’s not all about crunching numbers. It’s about living up to our promises day in, day out. Whether it’s giving you handy solutions that make your life that little bit easier or just making it simpler to deal with us, we’re constantly reviewing our processes to ensure you receive the best possible service. Lighter, brighter, quieter facilities When you work in finance you need a keen eye for detail tomake sure every decimal point is in the right place! Our move to a lighter, brighter, quieter office really makes a big difference to the way we work as a team, the service you receive and how we support you. Faster, smarter, greener e-accounting We always like to put ourselves in your shoes to think about how we can make your life that little bit easier. That’s why we’ve introduced automated billing to deliver your invoice faster than ever before and a paperless invoice query system ensuring a faster turnaround for you the customer, whilst avoiding any paper wastage! Simplified, centralised, unified Providing a quality service is central to everything we do. Simplifying, centralising and unifying our internal processes provides on-time accurate invoicing that gives you the information to organise your accounts efficiently and build closer working relationships with our finance people. Open, honest and transparent We’re currently developing a new highly-automated finance system that will produce faster statements, initiate faster responses from credit control and facilitate one-to-one meetings with a credit controller as and when needed. It’s all about improving our reporting so that we can do the right thing by dealing with any issues in an open and honest way.
Mandy Bahra Treasury Manager
Prior to joining our finance team, Treasury Manager Mandy worked as a security guard at Heathrowwhere shemixed with some of the world’s celebrity jet-set, including Tina Turner, David Bowie and the Queen.
GregWigmore Senior Financial Controller
When Greg’s not in the driving seat at work he’s behind the wheel of a Lightning GT - a limited edition electric supercar that can go from 0-60mph in 4 seconds!
Samantha Bolt Strategic Credit Controller
Out of hours, Strategic Credit Controller Samantha can be found behind the bar pulling pints at her local pub or out and about serving festival goers at Buckinghamshire’s PennFest.
Jodie Carey Payroll Supervisor
Meeting Take That star Gary Barlow after queuing up for 10 hours was an experience Payroll Supervisor Jodie will ‘Never Forget’.
10 Whistl Magazine • Summer 2016
Industry in brief Director of Postal Affairs, Charles Neilson provides his regular round-up of industry news.
Ofcompublishes review of the regulation of Royal Mail Ofcom set out its plans to regulate the postal market in 2012 with the intention that regulation should remain in place for five years. However due to significant changes, last year Ofcomconducted a
Ofcom findings at aglance Ofcom is extending the regulatory regime until 2022 and note: • that Royal Mail’s return on sales for 2014/15 was, for the first time, within the target range of 5-10% and latest accounts show it remained in range for 2015/16. • that genuine effort had been made to improve efficiency but there was still room for improvement with performance at the bottom end of the range. In particular improving the worst performing delivery offices would have a big impact. • that Royal Mail had increased prices but had done so conservatively and not to the maximum level that it could have done. • that generally consumers and businesses were very satisfied with the service delivered. Ofcom is therefore taking no further action to control Royal Mail’s pricing policies through specific price controls. Furthermore with the demise of Whistl’s end-to-end services and the limited chances of further end-to-end activity at scale, Ofcom felt that its proposals contained in the Access Pricing Review of 2015 were no longer as relevant and so has decided not to pursue these changes, but were still supportive of the link between price charged for delivery and Royal Mail’s zonal costs. Ofcomwas concerned that some ‘voluntary’ schedules in the Access contract
had shorter notice periods for Royal Mail tomake changes than they had envisaged when the regime was implemented and is proposing that these 30 day change terms are reverted to the statutory 10 weeks. Additionally Ofcomproposes where a retail service exists it would like Royal Mail to offer terms to Access customers within six weeks (rather than three months) of receiving the request. Ofcom stopped short of regulating areas of the Packet and Parcel marketplace despite acknowledging that Royal Mail had significant share in the smaller lightweight packet market. It will however closely monitor the cost allocation model between the letters and parcels business to ensure that there is no risk of its letters business cross subsidising its parcels business going forward. Ofcom did not rule out providing Access facilities for the market but said it neededmore evidence before it could act. “ Whistl welcomes the regulatory certainty that the Ofcomproposals bring for the next five years. With a focus on delivering value for customers, Whistl would like to see more areas opened up to wider competition such as the packet and parcel market. We’ll continue to work with Ofcom to provide the evidence it needs to consider this.” Charles Neilson Director of Strategy & Postal Affairs
fundamental review of the regulation of Royal Mail, publishing a discussion document so that stakeholders could input their views. Ofcom’s proposals as a result of this reviewwere published in May 2016 and the topics most relevant for Access customers have been
summarised below. These are proposals for consultation and all customers can respond by 3 August 2016.
To download a copy of the full document visit
http://stakeholders.ofcom.org. uk/consultations/royal-mail- regulation-review/
email whistl.communications@whistl.co.uk write NatalieWalker, Whistl UK Ltd, Meridian House,
We hope you enjoy readingWhistl Magazine. If you’d like us to focus on any specific industry-related topic, or would like to feature as a case study please get in touch using the following contact details.
Fieldhouse Lane, Marlow, Buckinghamshire, SL7 1TB
11
Whistl Magazine • Spring 2016 Whistl Mag zine • Summer
Returnaddress:Whistl UK Ltd, Meridian House, Fieldhouse Lane, Marlow, Buckinghamshire, SL7 1TB
Packets & Parcels Add to basket
Preparing for peak season?
Talk to Whistl for a complete one-stop solution to mail, packet and parcel delivery. In one collection we’ll pick up your mail, packets and parcels and manage the entire process for you so that you haven’t got the hassle of organising numerous carriers. We work with many of the UK’s leading national and international carriers to give you a range of reliable, cost-effective delivery options. It means we can respond quickly to surges in demand whilst giving your customers more delivery choice at the checkout. Contact your account manager today to find out more or simply check out our website.
Call 01628 861503 e-mail moreinfo@whistl.co.uk visit www.whistl.co.uk
Page 1 Page 2 Page 3 Page 4 Page 5 Page 6 Page 7 Page 8 Page 9 Page 10 Page 11 Page 12Made with FlippingBook flipbook maker